Dulce et Decorum Est, by Wilfred Owen and the poem To...

The two poems, â€Å"To Lucasta, going to the Wars† by Richard Lovelace and â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est† by Wilfred Owen are both devoted to the subject of war. Lovelace’s poem was written in the 17th century and as well as almost all the poetry of the period has romantic diction. The war is shown as something truly worthwhile, glossed and honorable for a man. The protagonist is leaving his beloved for the battlefield and his tone is pathetic and solemn. He calls the war his new mistress and asks his beloved woman not to be jealous as love to her is impossible for him without honor. In this way the overall mood of the poem is idealistic and heroic. The protagonist refers to war as a thrilling adventure and even affection. The tone of the Owen’s poem†¦show more content†¦As for the meter, it reminds Iambic Pentameter. Though, the conventional rhythm is broken by the author’s punctuation (exclamation points and commas as well as periods and da shes). Due to this device the poem comes closer to prose and sounds conversational. It was probably used to avoid song music mood and to give as much contrast as possible to the heroic poems of other authors like Richard Lovelace. If in Lovelace’s case the poem is to inspire the reader, in Owen’s work the rhythm is like a war, like death itself – hard, stumbling, hopeless, fumbling, and full of suffer. The reader suffers while overcoming all those hyphens and points inside lines. In this way, the two poems are on the opposite sides by their inner and outer sense. As for the form, there are a number of poetic devices which serve to fill the poems with the necessary diction. As Lovelace’s poem is easier and lighter by tone, there are not so many devices, but still the figurative language is romantic and eloquent. The imagery is delicate and beautiful. The innocence and pureness of the protagonist’s beloved woman is described by the words â€Å"the nunnery of thy chaste breast and quiet mind†; the lover’s attitude is shown by the words â€Å"Sweet† and â€Å"Dear†; the rush and aspiration of the hero is underlined by the metaphors of â€Å"flying† and â€Å"chasing†. There is no place for regret or fear; on the contrary, it seems that the hero relishes his fortune, his obligation and theShow MoreRelated Two Views of War in Poetry Essay486 Words   |  2 PagesViews of War in Poetry Nothing can impact society like war. War can be viewed as noble and just, or cruel and inhuman, as well as everything in between. War can make a man a hero, or it can make him a criminal. War affects everyone in society whether they are fighting in the trenches or waiting at home for a loved one to return. War has been the topic of countless pieces of literature, in the poem Dulce et Decorum Est, by Wilfred Owen and the poem To Lucasta, on Going to the Wars, by Richard